VERSE 10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
In this verse the Apostle summarizes his instructions on the proper support of the ministers and of the poor. He paraphrases the words of Christ: "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." (John 9:4.) Our good deeds are to be directed primarily at those who share the Christian faith with us, "the household of faith," as Paul calls them, among whom the ministers rank first as objects of our well doing.
VERSE 11. Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.
With these words the Apostle intends to draw the Galatians on. "I never," he says, "wrote such a long letter with my own hand to any of the other churches." His other epistles he dictated, and only subscribed his greetings and his signature with his own hand.
VERSE 12. As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circ.u.mcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.
Paul once more scores the false apostles in an effort to draw the Galatians away from their false doctrine. "The teachers you have now do not seek the glory of Christ and the salvation of your souls, but only their own glory. They avoid the Cross. They do not understand what they teach."
These three counts against the false apostles are of so serious a nature that no Christian could have fellowship with them. But not all the Galatians obeyed the warning of Paul.
The Apostle"s attack upon the false apostles was not unjustified.
Neither are our attacks upon the papacy. When we call the Pope the Antichrist and his minions an evil brood, we do not slander them. We merely judge them by the touchstone of G.o.d"s Word recorded in the first chapter of this Epistle: "Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."
VERSE 13. For neither they themselves who are circ.u.mcised keep the law; but desire to have you circ.u.mcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
In other words: "I shall tell you what kind of teachers you have now.
They avoid the Cross, they teach no certain truths. They think they are performing the Law, but they are not. They have not the Holy Spirit and without Him n.o.body can keep the Law." Where the Holy Ghost does not dwell in men there dwells an unclean spirit, a spirit that despises G.o.d and turns every effort at keeping the Law into a double sin.
Mark what the Apostle is saying: Those who are circ.u.mcised do not fulfill the Law. No self-righteous person ever does. To work, pray, or suffer apart from Christ is to work, pray, and to suffer in vain, "for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." It does a person no good to be circ.u.mcised, to fast, to pray, or to do anything, if in his heart he despises Christ.
"Why do the false apostles insist that you should be circ.u.mcised? Not for the sake of your righteousness," although they give that impression, but "that they may glory in your flesh." Now what sort of an ambition is that? Worst of all, they force circ.u.mcision upon you for no other reason than the satisfaction they get out of your submission.
VERSE 14. But G.o.d forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"G.o.d forbid," says the Apostle, "that I should glory in anything as dangerous as the false apostles glory in because what they glory in is a poison that destroys many souls, and I wish it were buried in h.e.l.l. Let them glory in the flesh if they wish and let them perish in their glory.
As for me I glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." He expresses the same sentiment in the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, where he says: "We glory in tribulations"; and in the twelfth chapter of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians: "Most gladly, therefore, will l rather glory in my infirmities." According to these expressions the glory of a Christian consists in tribulations, reproaches, and infirmities.
And this is our glory today with the Pope and the whole world persecuting us and trying to kill us. We know that we suffer these things not because we are thieves and murderers, but for Christ"s sake whose Gospel we proclaim. We have no reason to complain. The world, of course, looks upon us as unhappy and accursed creatures, but Christ for whose sake we suffer p.r.o.nounces us blessed and bids us to rejoice.
"Blessed are ye," says He, "when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad." (Matt. 5:11, 12.)
By the Cross of Christ is not to be understood here the two pieces of wood to which He was nailed, but all the afflictions of the believers whose sufferings are Christ"s sufferings. Elsewhere Paul writes: "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body"s sake, which is the church." (Col. 1:24.)
It is good for us to know this lest we sink into despair when our opponents persecute us. Let us bear the cross for Christ"s sake. It will ease our sufferings and make them light as Christ says, Matthew 11:30, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
VERSE 14. By whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
"The world is crucified unto me," means that I condemn the world. "I am crucified unto the world," means that the world in turn condemns me. I detest the doctrine, the self-righteousness, and the works of the world.
The world in turn detests my doctrine and condemns me as a revolutionary heretic. Thus the world is crucified unto us and we unto the world.
The monks imagined the world was crucified unto them when they entered the monastery. Not the world, but Christ, is crucified in the monasteries.
In this verse Paul expresses his hatred of the world. The hatred was mutual. As Paul, so we are to despise the world and the devil. With Christ on our side we can defy him and say: "Satan, the more you hurt me, the more I oppose you."
VERSE 15. For in Christ Jesus neither circ.u.mcision availeth anything, nor uncirc.u.mcision, but a new creature.
Since circ.u.mcision and uncirc.u.mcision are contrary matters we would expect the Apostle to say that one or the other might accomplish some good. But he denies that either of them do any good. Both are of no value because in Christ Jesus neither circ.u.mcision nor uncirc.u.mcision avail anything.
Reason fails to understand this, "for the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of G.o.d." (I Cor. 2:14.) It therefore seeks righteousness in externals. However, we learn from the Word of G.o.d that there is nothing under the sun that can make us righteous before G.o.d and a new creature except Christ Jesus.
A new creature is one in whom the image of G.o.d has been renewed. Such a creature cannot be brought into life by good works, but by Christ alone.
Good works may improve the outward appearance, but they cannot produce a new creature. A new creature is the work of the Holy Ghost, who imbues our hearts with faith, love, and other Christian virtues, grants us the strength to subdue the flesh and to reject the righteousness of the world.
VERSE 16. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy.
This is the rule by which we ought to live, "that ye put on the new man, which after G.o.d is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Eph.
4:24.) Those who walk after this rule enjoy the favor of G.o.d, the forgiveness of their sins, and peace of conscience. Should they ever be overtaken by any sin, the mercy of G.o.d supports them.
VERSE 17. From henceforth let no man trouble me.
The Apostle speaks these words with a certain amount of indignation. "I have preached the Gospel to you in conformity with the revelation which I received from Jesus Christ. If you do not care for it, very well.
Trouble me no more. Trouble me no more."
VERSE 17. For I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
"The marks on my body indicate whose servant I am. If I was anxious to please men, if I approved of circ.u.mcision and good works as factors in our salvation, if I would take delight in your flesh as the false apostles do, I would not have these marks on my body. But because I am the servant of Jesus Christ and publicly declare that no person can obtain the salvation of his soul outside of Christ, I must bear the badge of my Lord. These marks were given to me against my will as decorations from the devil and for no other merit but that I made known Jesus."
Of the marks of suffering which he bore in his body the Apostle makes frequent mention in his epistles. "I think," he says, "that G.o.d hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men." (I Cor.
4:9.) Again, "Unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place; And labour, working with our hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day." (I Cor.
4:11-13.)
VERSE 18. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
This is the Apostle"s farewell. He ends his Epistle as he began it by wishing the Galatians the grace of G.o.d. We can hear him say: "I have presented Christ to you, I have pleaded with you, I have reproved you, I have overlooked nothing that I thought might be of benefit to you. All I can do now is to pray that our Lord Jesus Christ would bless my Epistle and grant you the guidance of the Holy Ghost."
The Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, who gave me the strength and the grace to explain this Epistle and granted you the grace to hear it, preserve and strengthen us in faith unto the day of our redemption. To Him, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, be glory, world without end. Amen.
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Rev. Robert E. Smith Walther Library Concordia Theological Seminary